OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU softball team put up a tough fight against No. 5 Oklahoma City with its reserves getting most of the work in its regular season finale as the Evangels dropped a pair of hard-fought 4-0, 4-1 decisions to the Stars at Ann Lacy Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
GAME ONE
SCORE
- Oklahoma City 4, Mid-America Christian 0
- Mid-America Christian (35-14, 20-11 SAC)
- Oklahoma City (41-8, 28-3 SAC)
PITCHING DECISION
TOP PERFORMERS
SCORING SUMMARY
- BTM 1st – OCU – Analise Rayburn hit a sac bunt to 3b, RBI; Tiffany Paul scored – OCU 1, MACU 0
- BTM 4th – OCU – Brooklyn Mason singled to right; Analise Rayburn scored on the throw – OCU 2, MACU 0
- BTM 4th – OCU – Lexi Duff singled to right-center, 2 RBI; Brooklyn Mason scored; Kaitlyn Jones scored – OCU 4, MACU 0
GAME NOTES
- Oklahoma City scored its four runs on four hits while the Evangels were held to just one hit as a team.
- The Stars were able to get the early advantage after MACU starting pitcher Harley Beesley walked the first two batters, as a fielder's choice out led up to an RBI safety squeeze bunt by Analise Rayburn scored Tiffany Paul to make it a 1-0 game.
- After both teams were held in-check through the first three-and-a-half innings, OCU managed to get some big insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth as four straight Stars reached on a walk and three consecutive singles to extend the Oklahoma City edge to 4-0 on Lexi Duff's two-RBI single to right-center.
- The Evangels finally got their only hit of the game in the top of the fifth when Macy Stockton hit a comebacker to the circle that deflected off the edge of Shelbey Cornelson's glove, giving MACU its first lead-off base runner.
- MACU mustered its only threat in that same fifth inning when Brooklyn Wilson reached on a walk and then both runners were moved over to second and third on a Talyn Wheeler sac bunt. However, Cornelson ended the threat by getting Megan Widener to ground out to second get out of the jam.
- The Evangels were unable to muster another threat the rest of the way as the Stars came away with the 4-0 win.
- Despite giving up four walks, Harley Beesley was able to keep a very potent Stars lineup in-check, limiting OCU to just four hits, none of which going for extra bases.
- Macy Stockton led the MACU batting order with the only hit, slashing 1-for-3 while the Evangels were only able to get three baserunners off an Emylee Campbell hit-by-pitch and a Brooklyn Wilson walk.
- By suffering the defeat, Oklahoma City was able to win the season series from MACU.
GAME TWO
SCORE
- Oklahoma City 4, Mid-America Christian 1
- Mid-America Christian (35-15, 20-12 SAC)
- Oklahoma City (42-8, 29-3 SAC)
PITCHING DECISION
- Win: Lexi Duff (16-3)
- Loss: Chana Wolfe (0-1)
- Save: Brynlee Alsip (2)
TOP PERFORMERS
SCORING SUMMARY
- TOP 1st – MACU – Macy Stockton reached on a fielder's choice; Stormy Haynes scored on a muffed throw error by ss – MACU 1, OCU 0
- BTM 2nd – OCU – Kamryn Garvie homered to center, 2 RBI; Analise Rayburn scored – OCU 2, MACU 1
- BTM 3rd – OCU – Rally Radacy hit a sac fly to cf, RBI; Gracie Pollon scored – OCU 3, MACU 1
- BTM 3rd – OCU – Kaitlyn Jones stole third, scored on throwing error by c – OCU 4, MACU 1
GAME NOTES
- Oklahoma City plated its four runs on eight hits and committed an error while the Evangels scored one run on six hits and made two defensive miscues.
- The Evangels were able to get some momentum right out of the gate as Stormy Haynes led off the top of the first with a single to center before stealing second while Hallie Wilson drew a two-out walk to put runners at first and second. After Macy Stockton hit a grounder to second, a dropped throw by the shortstop to second on the fielder's choice allowed Haynes to storm home for the go-ahead run, making it 1-0 MACU.
- The Stars managed to take the lead for good in the bottom of the second as Analise Rayburn reached on a single to left-center on an 0-2 pitch before Kamryn Garvie blasted a two-run homer to center on a 1-2 count to set the score to 2-1.
- The Evangels were looking to try and get a rally going in the top of the third as two of the first three batters reached on singles by Haynes and Emylee Campbell, but OCU starter Lexi Duff was able to retire the next two Evangel batters on a flyout to right and a grounder to third to end the inning.
- Oklahoma City was able to take advantage of a pair of MACU miscues in the bottom of the third inning as a Rally Radacy sac fly after an Evangels throwing error scored a Stars run before Kaitlyn Jones stole third and then scored on a throwing error by the catcher, swelling the OCU advantage to 4-1.
- MACU managed to put together two more major scoring threats, the first coming in the top of the fifth by putting runners on second and third after back-to-back singles by Morgan Fowble and Stormy Haynes before Kenzee Danielson moved both over on a sac bunt. However, OCU made a big time defensive play to get out of the jam as Rayburn was able to make a stellar grab on a pop-up to the infield before stepping on second for the double play.
- The Evangels last chance came in the top of the seventh when Madison Mora was hit by a pitch on a 3-2 count before Cierra Russell came up with a pinch-hit single to right with one out to bring the tying run to the plate. However, Haynes went down on strikes before Karlee Danielson flew out at the warning track to end the rally.
- Stormy Haynes put together a career day at the plate, as she tallied half of MACU's hits by slashing 3-for-4 with a run and a stolen base to lead the Evangels' offensive efforts.
- Emylee Campbell was the only other starter to come up with a hit for MACU while both Morgan Fowble and Cierra Russell each came up with a pair of pinch-hits.
- Chana Wolfe suffered her first loss of the season in the circle after allowing four runs, just two earned on seven hits with walk and two strikeouts over 4.2 innings. Allie DonCarlos turned in a solid outing of relief after allowing just a hit and a walk over 1.1 innings.
- With the defeat, Oklahoma City swept the season series and have won six straight games against the Evangels.
- MACU wraps up its regular season with a 35-15 overall record and posted a 20-12 record in Sooner Athletic Conference play, its second-most league wins ever in the history of the program.
UP NEXT
- Mid-America Christian will now make its preparations for the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament on Thursday as the third-seeded Evangels will open play at 1 p.m. against No. 6 seed Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) at Bill Smith Ballpark in Chickasha, Okla.
- Depending on the result, the Evangels would then either play No. 2 seed Science & Arts (Okla.) or No. 7 seed Central Christian (Kan.) in the loser's bracket at 3 p.m. or the winner's bracket at 5 p.m.
